Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate

736 adverse-event reports submitted to the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine reference Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate. See the species affected, top reactions, and outcomes below.

736
adverse-event reports
29.9%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
212
Vomiting - top reaction
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Important: Adverse event reports do not establish that a drug caused or contributed to the event. Consult your veterinarian before making treatment decisions.
736
Total Reports
220
Deaths Reported
29.9%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate

Administration Routes

UnknownIntravenousSubcutaneousParenteralIntramuscularAuricular (Otic)OtherOralTopical

Species Affected

Dog 567
Cat 143
Unknown 23
Ferret 2
Horse 1

Most Affected Breeds

Domestic Shorthair 92
Retriever - Labrador 48
Terrier - Bull - American Pit 31
Shih Tzu 28
Unknown 27
Retriever - Golden 24
Chihuahua 23
Bulldog - French 20
Boxer (German Boxer) 18
Terrier (unspecified) 18

Most Reported Reactions

Vomiting 212
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 149
Anaphylaxis 120
Death by euthanasia 114
Death 105
Other abnormal test result NOS 98
Diarrhoea 94
Pale mucous membrane 85
Not eating 79
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in Neurological) 78
Anorexia 77
Fever 76

Outcome Breakdown

Ongoing
279 (39.1%)
Recovered/Normal
122 (17.1%)
Euthanized
112 (15.7%)
Died
109 (15.3%)
Outcome Unknown
86 (12.0%)
Recovered with Sequela
6 (0.8%)

Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Adverse Event Insights

736 reports name Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate; 220 recorded a death outcome (29.9% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate. Administration routes: Unknown, Intravenous, Subcutaneous, Parenteral.

By species: Dog (567 reports), Cat (143 reports), Unknown (23 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (92), Retriever - Labrador (48), Terrier - Bull - American Pit (31).

Leading clinical signs: Vomiting (212), Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (149), Anaphylaxis (120), Death by euthanasia (114). Outcome, 714 coded reports: Ongoing leads at 39.1%.

Read these counts as reporting volume, not risk: per our methodology, a widely-prescribed drug will rack up more raw FDA reports in a given year than a rarely-used one at an identical true rate, so we recommend comparing within similar-exposure products rather than across the full 2025 catalog.

Source: FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine openFDA Animal & Veterinary Adverse Events (CVM AER) · 2025

Every figure on PlainBreed is rendered directly from FDA openFDA adverse event data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on FDA openFDA data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.